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Parents set the tone for the camp experience

Your attitude toward the camping experience is as important as the experiences at the camp might be.

Photograph by: ThinkStock.com
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Your attitude toward the camping experience is as important as the experiences at the camp might be.

Be sure you are ready to have your child leave home. You need to trust your child to be on his or her own and be comfortable with the potential risks and possible mishaps connected with camping.

Talk about camping as a happy adventure and be positive at all times.

Do not discuss “homesickness”, and caution well meaning friends and relatives to avoid the subject. While homesickness can be very real, you might be planting a thought that may never otherwise have occurred to the child. As adults we should be careful not to create this anxiety before the child even gets to camp.

If your child does get homesick at camp, do not aggravate the situation with apprehensive letters or phone calls, but let it be worked out with the leaders and camp director, who deal with homesickness every summer. They will have a variety of solutions to help make your child’s stay enjoyable. Speak with them about this, as they may call you for advice if your child is not responding to their solutions.

Health report

Health knowledge is an important factor in making camping successful. Be sure your child is feeling well and attend to potential problems before sending him or her to camp. Be honest in your comments about your child’s health. Remember that you and the camp directors are equally interested in your child’s welfare, and you are working together to see that the summer is pleasant, enjoyable, and profitable.

If your child has been exposed to any contagious diseases before the camp session, be sure to discuss this with the camp director before bringing the child to camp. It is unfair to expose other campers to a communicable disease.

Perhaps your child is a picky eater, or a bed wetter or has a nervous stomach. Whatever it may be, make a note of it on the medical form. None of these things are problems when the directors know about them in advance.

Friendly chats

You can do much to prepare your child for the new and uncertain, yet highly rewarding experiences that will be encountered at camp through friendly chats about things that might seem different. You will think of many things to talk about, but here are a few to start you off:

Darkness: You might mention the difference between the bright lights in the city at night and the quiet beauty of star-studded evenings in the country. Sitting around the campfire at night will seem exciting and different to youngsters.

Noises: Normal city noises of sirens, buses, horns and airplanes will be exchanged for the sounds of small animals, the chirping of crickets and the hooting of owls.

Space: Undeveloped land is becoming a thing of the past. At camp, however, children have acres and acres for playing and hiking. It may be a child’s first encounter with space, and this new world may seem very large. Adults have a tendency to forget that things we long ago accepted will still be new adjustments for children.

Children: Mention that there are children they haven’t yet met and it will require “give and take” to get along — to make friends and to get the most out of living at camp.

Religion: Your children may encounter children with different religious beliefs and customs, so they need to know everyone has the right to believe in his or her own way.

Security: Children should understand that camp is not a contest of personalities, athletics or endurance; it encourages self-confidence, not comparisons.

Money management

Some camps offer opportunities to purchase items at camp while others do not operate stores and discourage campers from bringing money with them. Check with the camp.

Correspondence

Before leaving for a long camp session, discuss the question of letter writing. How often would your child like to hear from you? How often would you like to hear from your child? Your youngsters might be having a lot of fun, but it is vital that they receive mail. Even if you don’t have much to say, be positive, and keep it cheerful. (If a pet dog misses his owner and won’t eat, don’t say so.)

Stylish and elaborate clothing is not required at camp. Clothes that are familiar to the camper are a good idea. Be sure to mark all clothes with sewn-in or iron-in name tapes.

Put name tapes in easy-to-find places: outside under the long arch of the foot on socks; in the middle of the back waistband on shorts and jeans; inside back centre of the collar on shirts and sweatshirts; in a corner on linens and towels. Be sure to mark everything: rubber boots, rain jacket, runners, hat, camera, toothbrush, etc. Include extra tapes for new purchases.

Help your child pack his or her clothing and consider putting a list of everything on the inside of the suitcase or pack.

Arrival day

Assuming that you are driving your child to camp, be sure to meet the director first and find out what is expected of you. Generally this will consist of meeting the leaders who will be directly in charge of your child, going on a tour of the camp with them, depositing your child’s belongings at the proper place, and leaving the camp without prolonged involvement or farewells.

If other parents seem to be unpacking or making beds, ask your child’s counsellor if there is anything you can do. You do not want to embarrass your new camper.

With just a moment’s silent observation, you will be surprised at how well-equipped your child is to take care of himself or herself right from the start.

Children are likely to feel more self-assured if you let them know in advance that the leaders are there to help them and will answer the child’s questions or help them with any problems they may have.

Let the camp decide where and with whom your child will be living. You know your child very well, but the director knows group living and camping and where your youngster will fit in best. The director will have reviewed the information on each child attending camp and will have carefully planned the best cabin or tent placement.

If a special friend of your child is at the camp at the same time, you may want to mention this to the director. The two friends may be placed in the same activity group, but it may not be wise to have them in the same cabin or tent.

Some of the reasons for going to camp are to make new friends and be exposed to new conditions. Camping should be an opportunity for your child to branch out.

Phone calls

Determine the camp’s guidelines are regarding communication to and from home while camp is in session ahead of time. Some will allow for phone calls and others will not, except in the case of emergency.

Gifts

Follow the camp’s guidelines with regard to sending food, treats, and other gifts. Your child might write that all the campers are receiving packages. Be assured that all of them are not.

If your child has a birthday during the camp session, gifts other than food are often best. A camp may provide a birthday cake for the group to enjoy.

Visiting

Visit at prescribed times only. Some camps do not allow visiting if the session is shorter than ten days to two weeks. At a longer session, your child should be given ample time to get into the swing of things. Thereafter, if you have promised to visit, be sure to keep your word.

At home, after camp

When your child comes home, recognize the achievement of being away from home is important — just as important as your vacation or your latest achievement. Let your child tell you about camp experiences. You will hear about a crazy skit, a new song or a hike to the top of the mountain.

Look for improvements in behaviour and attitude, even though the full impact of change might not be obvious to you immediately. The experience of going to camp builds strength of character, develops skills and broadens the awareness of children that lasts throughout their lives.